Religion
The religions listed below are the lore contest winners, but there are many more submissions that your character can follow in roleplay should they want to. Air Collective Omniscientism Practiced - In the Air Nation, though it often goes unnoticed by other nations as those apart of it are constantly in pursuit of bettering themselves and the ideas of the world, information is shared among them at multiple different times during the year. They try not to attract attention as information could be misused, especially by those who aren't pacifists. Values/Ideals - * Knowledge and wisdom is never to be misused. * Share all information with one another. * Constantly better yourself in all areas. * Work to further the ideas developed. * Debate with one another, but don't get caught up in useless squabbles. * Honour one another, we are all equal. Deity - Many of the ancient spirits, such as Wan Shi Tong, he who knows 10,000 things, the Moon and Ocean spirits, Raava, and many other spirits. This is due to the fact they have lived many years and so know many things. While they are not worshiped they are highly respected. Non spirit deity's are the lion turtles. Brief History - The founder is Guru Lolih. In her search for knowledge and her own betterment she became frustrated and depressed that when she died then all her knowledge would be lost. Even if she passed knowledge on to students, it wasn't likely to last long. As a result, she wanted to form a sort of collective mind that would transcend the ages, constantly adapting and learning, growing. So she started forming a group of people of the same mindset. Though it quickly became clear that some wanted to abuse the knowledge. As a result, people could only be invited by current members. While a member of any nation is welcome, it ultimately comprised mostly of Air Benders due to their pacifistic ways, meaning they were much more unlikely to abuse their power. Furthermore, many were already committed wholly to spirituality and detaching themselves from the world. Allowing vast pools of knowledge to be gained. Additional Info - * Since no one person can gain all knowledge in their lifetime then the only way for successive generations to achieve a greater understanding and continue to develop is by recording of essential knowledge about the way to peace and how to become one's best self. This is also done by efficient training that includes a way of thinking so that when new information is taught then it already makes logical sense without an explanation. * Since such knowledge could be greatly misused, only highly trusted people get in. Which generally isn't a problem within the Air Nation. However, few outsiders are accepted unless they show great wisdom and self control. * This knowledge applies to a vast number of areas. Spiritualism, society, bending forms, history, and much more, anything deemed worthy of knowing among members. Water Tribe Seishun Practiced - People, usually of the water tribes, will gather their family to pray while gathered near a shrine lit with candle's. They pray for their younger family members, the next generation, and to any young family members who have passed on early. They pray until the short candle's are all burnt out, and if a family member dies of something other of old age, the family will light a candle and place it on a tiny raft or boat. this is to lead the spirit to the spirit world. (family members who do die of old age will have a candle lit near their resting place) Values/Ideals - * To respect the younger of the family along with you're elders * To respect any early past family members (members of the family who died young) * To treat the young family members with kindness and understanding * The youngest must respect others, not just those who are younger than them, and know hard honest work Deity - There is no deity, instead the families will pray to past family members Brief History - Before the 100 year war there was once a young boy and his younger brother. they were orphans living on the streets of the north water tribe capital, they stole food to survive and the oldest would always try to find work where he could. one day while he and his younger brother were running with freshly stolen food the younger sibling was caught. The younger sibling was arrested and later died in jail. once the older brother heard he was devastated, each day he payed for a candle at the market and prayed to the candle until it burned out each night. the citizens noticed after 60 years that the older brother, who now had a decent living, still looked somewhat youthful, and was often mistake'd to be younger than he was. the villagers connected this to the candle and asked the older brother why he pray's to the candle in the first place. he told them the story and the villagers realized that the spirit of the younger brother was giving this man a prolonged life, even if this could not be proven, many of the villagers started doing the same thing and praying to past family members, the religion soon grew and the older brother was the pastor for the longest time, preaching at a public shrine. but once he died the religion started being practiced within the home. Earth Kingdom Hiqora Practiced - This religion is practiced throughout the Earth Kingdom. It is mostly practiced in old sturdy buildings that have been around for a long time. The buildings are cylinder shaped buildings with green cones on the top; resembling an old castle like structure. On the outside of the building a statue of Hiqora stands in front of the building looking towards the west. The statue is an old jade color, usually placed around it are flowers brought from followers and just towns people. On the inside of the building you can see the full cone of the outside. The cone is freshly placed with fines the linger down to the alter. There are a few seats that face the alter, and behind the alter stands a big window that shows off the city. In rich cities the dome is trimmed with gold. Values/Ideals - * The Earth is not just lifeless mountains and rocks. Everything has a spirit, a story, and a purpose. You must respect the Earth to respect yourself. The Earth is just not some dead thing you can claim. * You are tethered to the Earth. You are one with the Earth and it is one with you. If you kill the Earth you are killing yourself. * Everything has a spirit. If you do kill another living thing don't do it out of sport. Do it out of survivalism (For instance in this religion you don't have to be a vegetarian). * You walk your own path. It doesn't have to be like others. You are unique, and your story will also be unique. It shapes and curves like mountains and ridges. Your story is waiting to be set in stone. * You are born with a power that grows in and out of you. The Earth gives you a strong stance in this power, but the strongest weapon you wield is the weapon inside. It is your emotions and your humanism. * You grow alongside with the Earth. Deity - Hiqora''' (He*Kora), a gigantic creature that leaves green auras when it walks. It is a deer like giant creature, that has green fur. Its horns are a tainted green golden color, and it has a jade jewel that rests on its forehead. '''Brief History - It is believed that before the Earth was just a fiery waste land. That nothing could live and thrive, until Hiqora was rumored to be a spirit that walked through the wasteland. Along with its footsteps life sprouted out of the ground. It would climb fiery volcanos and make them lush mountains. It is rumored that Hiqora came before the Lion Turtles. The story of Hiqora is dated to be one of the oldest religions in the world. That is because it never had any true written form, it was always just a story that people typically from the Earth Kingdom would believe and worship. Hiqora was brought into massive religion with the first book of worship that was made. The first ever written history about the religion comes from a novel called "The Testament to Life". Which goes over the ideals of the religion. It also tells the story about how Hiqora gave life to this Earth by walking through the fiery inferno. It talks about the sacrifice that the spirit had to make to bring life to the rest of the creatures. Additional Info -''Followers'': People who follow the religion and believe in the story of Hiqora. Structure of the religion: Each place of worship has a Grand Whisp. This is the person who preaches upon the followers and runs the practice in that city. The overall main people who run the religion is one person titled the Jade. The Jade is picked by all of the Grand Whisp's who are alive. The Jade is a model of the religion and they along with the Grand Whisp's lead the religion into practice. Fire Nation Kuzunia Practiced - Mainly by fire benders but not limited to them. In small gardens in front of a decently big tree of any kind. Or at temples that contain a sacred tree that was reborn. Temples are round structures that are built around the sacred tree. The temples are usually made from stone and contain lots of oranges and greens. Every year around the season winter the followers will burn a patch of a Forest and leave it to burn to ashes. They believe that anything that grows there or is left over is more beautiful because it has lived through pain and experienced destruction. Values/Ideals - * All pain and destruction lead to beauty or piece. * Evil does not exist it is just the phase or transition to beauty * Don’t hold in anger, lash out because whatever happens next will teach a lesson that will help reach “beauty” * To become “beautiful” you must not have any anger, curiosity, or pain in your life. Deity - Kazunede: A dragon who once caused tons of destruction on a Fire Nation town is worshiped as a thanks for his actions. Brief History - Long long ago their was a town in the fire nation. The town was surrounded by plains that had mostly dead plants. One day a dragon (Kazunede) burned all life there, the town was destroyed and left in ruin. Many years later a man revisited the town after hearing what happened to it. He was curious if all life was still gone. When he arrived he realized all the ruins were overgrown with beautiful flourishing plants, the soil there was also very fertile. The man realized that the ash from the town and plants had acted as fertilizer for new life. He believed that the fire from this dragon had special life giving powers but pain had to be suffered in exchange. He found a tree that he turned into a shrine, this is where he prayed for the dragon to come back and bless him with the magic fire. As time went on he brought people to live on the ruin with him. A year later the dragon returned thinking that the people were foolish so he burned their shrine and their temple. Though the dragon was surprised to see that the tree grew back. He became furious and burned the tree over and over again. The people were overjoyed every time because they could use the ash as fertilizer. However the man’s beliefs were challenged. A house burned down from a candle over night but the area ended up growing back more fertile. This event made him believe that the dragon may not have special power but it is the act of destruction and pain that lead to this beauty. Category:A-Z Category:Lore